‘Stranger Things‘ Season 5 ended Jonathan and Nancy’s relationship, but many fans didn’t even realize the final scene was a breakup. That confusion quickly turned into online backlash, with viewers debating what the scene actually meant.
Now, Charlie Heaton has responded to the reaction. He admitted he didn’t understand why people missed it at first, and he explained why he thinks the breakup didn’t land clearly for everyone watching.
Charlie Heaton Reacts To The Breakup Dilemma In ‘Stranger Things’ Finale
Heaton, who has played Jonathan since Season 1, spoke about the breakup backlash while appearing on ‘The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon‘. He said the online discussion surprised him because, to him, the scene was clearly written as the end of Jonathan and Nancy.
Related: Natalia Dyer Knows Nancy Wheeler Best And Her One Condition For ‘Stranger Things 5’ Ending Proves It
“There was an online discourse,” Heaton said. “It kind of confused me because I was like, ‘Why didn’t people understand it’s a breakup?’” He then added that he understood it better when he remembered who the show’s audience is. “And then I remembered a lot of the audience is pretty young.”
In the scene, Jonathan and Nancy finally talk honestly and decide to end their relationship. The show frames it as something built from everything they survived together, and they even describe it as a “trauma bond.”
Fans Expected A Happy Ending For Jonathan And Nancy
Fans had supported Jonathan and Natalia Dyer’s Nancy as a couple for years. And many hoped they would stay together till the end of the show. Season 5 also built anticipation for their future, especially when Jonathan was shown carrying an engagement ring. Instead of a proposal or a happy ending, Jonathan and Nancy’s story ends with a mutual breakup.
In case you missed it: Why Nancy and Jonathan’s Breakup Was Inevitable In ‘Stranger Things’
Heaton admitted he personally wanted them to stay together. But he still agreed with the decision because it felt realistic for the characters. Later, Heaton said that he wanted to give them a good ending because they had been through so much together. “They’ve been through so much together,” he said, explaining why fans felt so connected to them. Still, he believed the breakup worked because it felt honest. “But [the ending] felt real, and I think that felt more important than them being together.”
Even with Heaton defending the choice, many fans still didn’t agree with the breakup. Some viewers said Jonathan and Nancy had been the emotional core of ‘Stranger Things‘ since Season 1. And that made their ending harder to accept.
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